The present invention relates to a therapeutic device and particularly, but not exclusively, to a device in which one or more blocks of beeswax are, in use, retained adjacent the skin. It provides a method of treating an affected part of the body by the application of a mass of a material that is able to accumulate the emitted body heat, and thus turn into a source of energy itself. Such mass is therefore termed here as a thermoelement. The material can be made out of one or more waxes but it is not essential. The wax or waxes may preferably be in the form of a block but this is not essential.
Many different treatments are known which involve the application of substances to the skin. These substances are generally intended to either heat or cool the relevant area of the body. Although they may give temporary relief, they do not tackle the underlying cause. This is because low temperatures decrease cellular metabolism and, therefore, interfere with natural replenishment and healing On the other hand, high temperatures destroy delicate cells of the already stressed organ. For example, temperatures above 40° C. can result in death of a living organism. It has been found that the rate at which many ailments can be treated is dependant on the flow of blood through the capillaries in the affected area.
The crux of the present invention is that the mass is applied, adjacent to the affected part of the body at any temperature, preferably the normal temperature, and is not purposefully heated or cooled prior to its application. This is contrary to all known practices where a mass is first heated, like hot water bottle, or, in the case of an ice bag, cooled prior to application. A serious problem with all prior art proposals is a misunderstanding of how the healing process works. This process is essentially slow and cannot be achieved by cooling the mass because within a short period the mass has either cooled down or warmed up to the ambient temperature and thereby has to be changed at regular intervals.
The inventor developed the Theory of Capillaries' Activity and The Origin of Diseases. Supported by the experimental studies on rats, his findings show that many chronic health disorders are caused by certain processes at the capillary level:                a) The constriction of capillaries leads to the deficiency of blood in the stressed tissue of the organ, and thus to the lack of nutrients and the lowering of the temperature locally;        b) The expansion of the capillary network follows, leading to the growth of the tissue. This increases the pressure inside the organ and damages its proper functioning.        
Depending on the rigidness of the organ's capsule, the pressure resulting from the tissue's growth either leads to the enlargement of the organ, or to the eventual necrosis of its tissue.
These findings lead the inventor to develop a device that can stabilise the temperature in the affected organ locally, and thus treat the underlying reason for the problem, not just the symptoms. The stabilised normal body temperature makes the flow of blood in the tissue easier and so recovery can take place more quickly. It has been found that certain substances, such as beeswax when placed adjacent to the skin, maintain the temperature of the affected area at or near the natural body temperature. This in turn enables blood to flow more effectively, resulting in improved treatment of the particular ailment. This allows for the Thermobalancing therapy to occur.
It does not matter at which temperature the thermoelement is applied to the body. What matters is that within a short period of time it achieves the normal temperature of the body and maintains this temperature all the time while it is applied to the body, turning into the source of energy itself. It can be compared to a sun battery that gets the energy from the sun, while the thermoelement in the present invention gets the energy from the emitted heat of the body. The thermoelement creates a barrier for the emitted body heat and diverts this heat back warming up internal tissues of the body in the affected area.
Whilst the mass is located adjacent the affected body part and its temperature is approaching the normal temperature, there is activity in the capillary network within the region of the affected part of the body. This activity causes the blood flow through the capillaries to be optimised.
The thermoelement needs to remain applied to the affected part of the body over a prolonged period of time for the therapeutic effect to be achieved. This method of treatment is termed by the inventor as the Thermobalancing Therapy.